Follower for packing barrels



(No Model.)

G. T; BELLAMY.

FOLLOWER. FOR PAGKING BARRELS.

Patented Feb. 23, 1886.

INVENTOR ATTORNEYS.

WITNESSES: 6.92%

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES T. BELLAMY, OF PBOMPTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

FOLLOWER FOR PACKING BARRELS.

fiPll-ECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 336,690, dated February 23, 1886.

Application filed December 29, 1885. Serial No. 186.992. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES T. BELLAMY, of Prompton, in the county of YVayne and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Followers for Packing Barrels, &-c., of which the fol lowing is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and simple device or follower to be used in packing casks or receptacles, to keep the substance packed-pork, fish, pickles, or other substancesubmerged in the brine or other preserving'liquor.

The invention consists, principally, of a follower provided with penetrating points or locking-surfaces at one side and a swinging brace or locking-lever at the opposite side for locking the follower to the inside of the cask or packing-receptacle.

The invention also consists in hinging the locking lever or brace to the follower in such a manner that it may be folded upon the body of the follower, so it maybe shipped or put away when not in use in a flat state.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 isa sectional elevation of a packing barrel or cask, showing my invention in place therein, the section being taken on the line as a; of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan View taken on the line y y of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a plan view of the follower, showing the locking brace or lever folded.

A represents the cask or packingreceptacle, and B the follower, which is circular in general outline and of somewhat less diameter than the diameter of the cask, so it may be secured at any part thereof. The follower is by preference made of the slats a a a and cross-slats b b, to which the slats a aa are secured. 7

Between the two center slats, a a, is pivoted the locking brace or lever O, the free outer end of which is adapted to impinge against the inside of the cask, as shown in Fig. 1, for locking the follower in the cask so it cannot be lifted by the brine or substance below it in the cask.

The locking-lever is pivoted upon a short pin, 0, held in the corresponding holes, 0 0, made in the adjacent edges of the slats a a,

and there are two or more sets of these holes, so that by detaching one end of the slats a from the cross-piece?) nearest the pivot the pivot pin may be removed and placed in other holes, so that the brace may be adjusted to adapt the follower to be applied to casks of different diameters. The outer end of the locking-brace O is provided with a sharp penetrating point, d, to engage with the cask, and the opposite ends of theslats a a are also pro vided with penetrating points d for alike purpose, so that when the follower is placed in the cask and the locking-lever swung against the cask and pressed slightly downward the points (I d will engage with the opposite sides of the cask, and thus firmly lock the follower in place.

The brace G is pivoted below the lower surface of the cross-slats b, so as to be adapted to fold back between the slats a a, as shown in Fig. 3, when the follower is not in use, thus putting the follower in a flat state, so it may be packed or put away in a small space.

In some cases the brace C may be pivoted between the cross-pieces b b, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1. In such construction the said slats will be made somewhat longer at the ends opposite the brace than shown, and these ends will be provided with penetrating points; or, if the cross-slats b are not thus made longer, the penetrating points may be placed in the ends of the slat a as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The follower herein shown and described, made to enter the interior of a cask or packing-receptacle, and formed or provided with locking-points at one side, and at the other with a pivoted locking brace or lever, substantially as described.

2. The follower'B, consisting of the slats a a a and cross-slats b b, the slats a being provided with points d, in combination with the locking-brace G, pivoted between the slats (1, below the cross-slats, and provided with the locking-point d, substantially as herein shown and described.

CHARLES T. BELLAMY.

Vitnesscs:

V. B. HOLMES, THOS. J. HAM. 

